FT Leisure to install swimming pools at the new Dover District Leisure Centre

FT Leisure has been awarded a contract to install the swimming pool, learner pool, and associated engineering and filtration systems at the new £26m Dover District Leisure Centre. The centre will feature the first pool in Kent built to Sport England specifications for a short-course County standard championship swimming pool. 

The main swimming pool is 25m long and 17m wide.  It incorporates 8 x 2m racing lanes, with 0.5m between the lane rope and pool edge on either side of the pool.  With starting blocks and touchpads, along with tiered spectator seating for 250 people, it will be a prime venue for short-course swimming competitions.

Pool pod platform lifts will also be fitted to allow for improved access for swimmers with mobility issues as well as disabilities, including wheelchair users who will be able to get into the water through the pod’s specially designed submersible wheelchair and platform.

The learner pool is 15m long and 8.5m wide and will feature a moveable floor, allowing the depth to be varied from a few centimetres to 1.4m depending on the swimming ability of the particular user group, which allows for greater flexibility of programming.  The learner pool will also have pool pod platform lift.

The new Dover District Leisure Centre is being built at Whitfield by BAM Construction and will be operated on behalf of Dover District Council by Places for People Leisure. Construction is on track to open in early 2019.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Cabinet Member for Property Management, said: "As the first and only eight lane swimming pool in the district the new leisure centre heralds a step change in the district’s leisure offer, with vastly improved swimming facilities for all, including learners, those with disabilities, and competitive swimmers."

Steve Warriner, Area Manager, Places for People Leisure, said: "We’re really looking forward to moving to the new Dover District Leisure Centre where the swimming pools will be one of the big draws. Alongside the great new facilities, we offer free swimming for children under 8 when accompanied by an adult, SWIMTAG wearable technology to help you track your swimming performance, and a range of aquatic classes."

Simon Whittingham, Managing Director of FT Leisure, said: "We’re delighted to be working with Dover District Council and BAM Construction to deliver these great new swimming facilities."

Daniel Brenchley, Construction Manager for BAM said "Fifty five per cent of the workforce is based in Kent or on its borders, so BAM is doing what we always seek to do, which is to generate local benefits for the areas where we build. We have around 125 people on site at peak and over 350 people have so far worked on the leisure centre scheme. Work is coming along well and is on schedule."